What to Know Before Flying a Drone

Technology has taken the world to a whole new level for a lot of people. Over the years, the air has been conquered in very many ways, but none probably comes near to what drones have achieved. Even a jaded and discerning person will see the true amazing things that a drone can and will deliver in their lives once they own one. Earlier, owning a drone was a preserve of government security agencies but in the recent past, owning a drone by a civilian has been legalized.

However, there are things that you must be aware of before venturing out to buy this sophisticated gadget.

A drone owner should be well aware of the places they should fly and the time they should be doing this. If you disregard the many aviation laws of the government or even local bylaws, you might end up in a lot of trouble and at times face hefty fines. These laws are laid out to protect pedestrians, motorists and cyclists as well as other airspace users. Here are some basic requirements that you must first adhere to before owning or flying a drone;

You must be registered

What you require to register yourself as a drone owner is to submit your personal details to the relevant aviation authorities. Give your name, home address and other relevant identification details. Once your details are received and passed for approval, you get to receive unique identification number. This unique number should be clearly displayed on the craft once you have bought it. To register as a drone owner, you must be at least 13 years.

Know how far you can fly your drone

The general laws governing drone operation as regards height and distance are that you should never let your drone get out of sight. In US, you should never fly within five kilometers of an airport unless you have prior approval to do so from the airport authorities. As for height, you should never take your drone anywhere above 400 feet above the ground. Of course people will fly beyond their line of sight but this only increases the chance of harming other people. There are cases where people have shot down and ‘captured’ drones which have invaded their property.

Know when it is safe to fly

After buying a drone, you will be all excited to unpack and take your newly acquired asset to the air. Before doing this, you should read the manual thoroughly and make sure you understand every sentence. Some of the things to master are when the right weather to fly your drone is. It would be unsafe to fly it in windy conditions since it’s designed to be very light. It is also more fun to fly a drone when the weather is calm.

You will need a permit to get hired

You might have an idea of using your drone for profit purposes such as taking pictures, making movies or other commercial projects. To do this, you will need to apply for a permit to use your drone for commercial purposes.